“As people become more aware of the wide differences in quality and price, it’s inevitable that that information will be used in contracting with better performing providers and hospitals,” said Steve Wojcik, vice president oicy at the National Business Group on Health, which represents some of the nation’s largest employers.

The San Benito Independent School District, located in deep south Texas, has awarded third party administration services to the highest bidder in a recent Request for Proposal process. Estimated annual fixed costs for this 1,533 employee group is approximately $920,000. The lowest bid was $280,000.

Starting Sept. 1, a new law will allow physicians to get paid for seeing children over a sophisticated form of video chat, as long as the student is at school and enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program for the poor and disabled.

“La Joya ISD’s former insurance agent said trustees breached their contract and favored campaign supporters, according to a lawsuit filed against the district and trustees.”

“Ruth Villarreal served as the district’s insurance agent from 2006 until the board of trustees terminated her services in January. The district renewed her contract as recently as last year, months before a new board of trustees replaced her with Pharr-based insurance agent Bob Treviño.”

“Attorneys for Villarreal allege in the lawsuit filed this month in state District Court that trustees made the move because Treviño supported the Team Liberty slate in November school board elections. During the campaign, the lawsuit alleges, trustees “openly expressed their intention to exclusively award contracts to their supporters, including Defendant Trevino who was one of their main supporters.”

“You give enough money, it doesn’t matter how poor you perform, you’re going to get the contract — at least in La Joya,” said Javier Peña, an attorney for Villarreal:

La Joya ISD filed a counter lawsuit claiming governmental immunity…………………and lost on final appeal on August 21, 2015. Now Villarreal can move forward with her original pleading…………..and possibly another victory, either in or out of the courtroom.

“The federal government will rent access to the Medicare network of providers effective January 1, 2016. Access fees, comparable to the private market, are projected to generate enough revenue to purchase health insurance for those who don’t want it, need it, or who can’t afford it.”

“No one, including Flores, Garza or Sepulveda will comment on the decision to drop both the consultant – Nick Long of Gallagher Benefits Services – and his recommendations based on his claims that he had already negotiated savings of up to 30 percent per employee.”

An email obtained by The Brownsville Herald shows TAC Health and Benefits Services Manager Bill Norwood was also in contact with Long during the request for proposals process, which the commission aborted last week.

“I am sorry about this outcome for you and your firm,” Norwood wrote Aug. 7. “It has been a pleasure working with you on this and we will be happy to recommend you in the future. I think we worked together well in developing option ideas for this county.

“We are going to provide them all the cost saving measures I told you about in our calls so we should see several areas with good savings.”

Brian Naiser, a TAC representative revealed the firm held more conversations with the county in the last two weeks than in the previous five years.

“In America we have inequality due to income. Not being able to afford the 60 inch TV your neighbor has is annoying. Not being able to afford the platinum health plan your neighbor has, means that they will get better treatment and better access to healthcare than you.”

In a recent meeting with brokers, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas predicted that 80% of small-group business would be gone within five years. Seventy-percent of group medical in under-50 life groups will disappear and 90% of that in under-10 life groups. These small groups will migrate to self-insured plans or, in most cases, defined contribution arrangements.

The Fox Group is among the leading healthcare consulting firms specializing in assisting physicians, acute care hospitals, long-term care providers, and a diverse group of other healthcare providers throughout the U.S. and abroad to achieve their strategic and operational goals. Read more…

Mr. Wolfgang Rusteberg has been a long-term care administrator in Germany for over 30 years, and an affiliated consultant with The Fox Group for over 10 years.

“Where is the outrage over the lack of transparency for disclosing fees, charges, expenses and loads built into the healthcare system and health plans offered to employers by insurance companies ……..?”

“What we have is an industry phenomenon. TPAs and self funded plans complain about their networks all the time. How the discounts are bad, how you don’t have the ability to audit the claims, how the networks really work on behalf of the hospitals and not the plans. Everyone seemed to complain about them yet need them to attract clients that aren’t willing to go the reference based pricing route. You need a network to survive as I am told by every executive that has been in the industry longer than I have been alive.”

Establishing and maintaining reserves is important for self-funded clients. Reserves are estimated based upon a number of factors. As medical trend increases claim costs, one must adjust reserve factors to compensate for the additional risk exposure.